Budget challenges to the implementation of recommendations from Grenfell Fire Inquiry phase 1

Andrew Dismore: How will progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Grenfell Fire Inquiry Phase 1 report be impacted by cuts to LFB’s budget?

Sadiq Khan: The GLA Group faces a forecast £493million budget shortfall over the next two years due to the impact of COVID-19. Along with the MPS, I have asked the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to make the smallest percentage of savings across the GLA group. When I published my budget guidance in June [2020], I asked the LFB to find £10 million in savings in 2020/21 and £15million in 2021/22. I have since decided to use GLA reserves to give extra support to the LFB, reducing the savings required in 2020/21 to just £5million. I have protected the LFB’s budget as much as possible and I am now awaiting the outcome of their detailed budget work to be submitted in November [2020]. The LFB accepted in full the recommendations of the phase1 report and is committed to making the improvements required. I have made it clear to the [London Fire] Commissioner [Andy Roe] that despite the budget challenges London faces, the LFB must continue to deliver on the phase1 recommendations.
The LFB’s Transformation Delivery Plan is supporting the effective delivery of actions to address the recommendations of both the phase1 report and the issues raised in the report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMI) [of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services]. Despite some delays owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, good progress has been made, with the LFB having taken delivery of the new 32-metre turntable ladders and the 64-metre appliances arriving early next year. As you know, transforming the LFB will take time and this is a long-term programme of work and change.

Andrew Dismore: Thank you for your answer. The Grenfell Fire Inquiry phase1 report, which was published a year ago, included 14 recommendations directed to the LFB and you rightly committed to implementing them fully. This is being done through the transformation project, which is changing root and branch the way the LFB works. You have also contributed a welcome £2.2million towards the cost of this. However, recently the Deputy Mayor [for Fire and Resilience, Dr Fiona Twycross] said that the estimated cost of the transformation project was £4.1million, whilst the demands of the LFB were ever-increasing. The Commissioner recently said,
“We don’t know the full limit of what has happened inside the built environment over the past 10 to 15 years. Residential buildings which have been found to pose a considerable danger to life and fire - and not just from ACM cladding, that is - now require the Brigade safety monitoring through fortnightly site visits, with clear financial implications for the Brigade.”
What impact will the proposed reductions to the LFB’s finances have on its ability to deliver on the Grenfell fire report recommendations and to complete the transformation project?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you for your question. It is really important that we do not allow the financial situation that we are facing because of COVID-19 to have an impact on the ability of the LFB to do the inspections, the business that you referred to and the transformation required. I accept that it is a big challenge to undertake transformation and make savings and to make sure there are not consequences on Londoners. The Commissioner reassures me that he will do his utmost to make sure that there is not a compromise in either of those two things - transformation or savings - and I will be in a position to report back more once he submits the budget response in November.

Andrew Dismore: It is the case that the LFB has received no additional Government funding to help implement Grenfell phase1. It is also the case that the Government previously failed to provide the necessary additional funding soon after the fire, when the then Home Secretary refused the required £6million for extra equipment and £6million for revenue costs; for example, for fire safety inspecting officers to restore those cut by [The Rt Hon] BorisJohnson [MP, Prime Minister]. It is also the case that the Government voted against Labour’s amendment to the Fire Safety Bill, and by doing so refused to give legal force to the Grenfell phase1 recommendations. These would have required building managers to share information with the local fire service about the design of external walls and materials, carry out regular inspections of lifts and individual flat doors, and ensure evacuation and fire safety instructions for residents in buildings.
Would it be fair to say that all of this shows the Conservative Government to be at best indifferent to supporting the LFB’s work to implement the recommendations of Grenfell and to keep Londoners safe?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely, and we have seen the situation where there are more obligations being placed on the fire service because of phase1 of the Inquiry and the HMICFRS report. There are no additional monies from Government. In fact, money is being taken away. At the same time, when the Government had a chance to enshrine the phase1 recommendations, it voted against the amendment to do so. You will be aware from your long experience on the Assembly of the previous Mayor’s record of closing down fire stations, I think 10, removing fire firefighters from our city, I think 550, and removing fire appliances, I think 27. I know that you held the previous Mayor to account. Londoners know the track record of this Prime Minister when it comes to fire safety. The job of the Mayor and the Assembly is to make sure that we give our firefighters the resources, support and equipment they need to be able to look after our city.

Frontline services and reductions in LFB finance

Andrew Dismore: What impact will the proposed reductions in finance for the LFB have on its front line, including personnel, fire stations, fire appliances, and specialised equipment?

Sadiq Khan: The COVID-19 pandemic has left public finances in a perilous state. We are having to make savings across the GLA family that were totally unexpected this time last year. Despite this, I have been clear that I will do everything in my power to protect frontline emergency services and their critical public safety roles. That is why, along with the MPS, I have asked the LFB to make the smallest percentage of savings across the GLA Group and I have given the LFB an extra £5 million from GLA reserves to halve the savings they need to make this year. I protect the LFB budget as much as possible and I am now awaiting the outcome of the detailed budget work in November.
The Commissioner has been clear that his overarching aim is never to increase risk to Londoners. He will continue to ensure that the LFB meets its response-time standards with the first fire engine on the scene at an incident within six minutes and a second fire engine when needed within eight minutes on average across London. It is too soon to talk about specifics beyond that at this stage, but I will be discussing these matters with the [London Fire] Commissioner [Andy Roe] as these proposals develop. He will of course be working with and consulting staff and trade unions throughout.
Andrew Dismore AM: Thank you for that answer. As you previously mentioned, after
[The Rt Hon] Boris Johnson [MP, Prime Minister], when he was the Mayor, cut over 500 firefighter posts and closed 10 fire stations, when you were elected in 2016, you rightly commissioned the Mayer Review to examine the impact of the Johnson cuts on core aims around prevention, protection and response. AnthonyMayer reported that the LFB could not face more frontline cuts safely if it was to have the ability to manage effectively civil contingencies as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act [2004]. He also said:
“Further cuts would particularly affect capacity to manage new challenges and major incidents where the Brigade needs to co-respond with the London Ambulance Service, such as major health emergencies or terrorist attacks.”
Since the report, we have seen additional demands due to the consequences of terrorist attacks and the health implications of the virus and on top of that, above all, the consequences of Grenfell. Do you still agree with Mayer’s findings and do you trust BorisJohnson’s Government to take seriously the risk that an underfunded LFB represents?

Sadiq Khan: You have raised a really important point. The combination of terrorism, pandemic and the concerns about the built environment mean that we have to be very careful before we make any cuts to the LFB. That is why I have said that the fewest savings required in the GLA group should be the LFB and the MPS. We have had good conversations with the Minister, who the Assembly Member will know, one LordStephenGreenhalgh in relation to this issue. He is the Fire Minister and it is very important that the Home Secretary [The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP] and he, as the Fire Minister, give the fire service the resources that they need in an environment where there are additional burdens on the fire service rather than less.
Andrew Dismore AM: You are right and it is good that proportionally the LFB has taken one the least hits in this year and next year’s budget cuts. However, it is still facing cuts of £25 million as a result of COVID-19 and its impact on City Hall funding. This is at a time when demand on the brigade is increasing. For example, the Commission overspent on supplies by £5 million for extra personal protective equipment (PPE).
What will you do to ensure there will be no frontline fire brigade cuts affecting fire and other emergency cover in London?

Sadiq Khan: I will wait to see the Commissioner’s budget process, but one of the good examples of excellent trade union work is when the Fire Brigades Union [FBU] - and other trade unions, by the way - are raising their concerns. It is not just about the safety of their members, it is the safety of Londoners as well. That is why it is so important that we do right by the fire service as indeed by the MPS and so I cannot comment on all the details. You are absolutely right to remind me as the Mayor and I know the Commissioner knows this, but we have to ensure we deal with any concerns that staff may have and also to ensure the fire service has the resources, the kit, the tools and support they need to do their job properly.
Andrew Dismore AM: It is fair to say the FBU has always tried to adopt a constructive approach in relation to protecting the public. It is not just about members. First and foremost, firefighters want to protect the public and rescue the public when they are in danger and it is important that we do recognise that work.

Housing

Susan Hall: Are you confident you can deliver your housing targets in the remaining time available?

Sadiq Khan: I am very proud of what we have already achieved in beginning to deliver the genuinely affordable homes that Londoners so desperately need. We have hit every one of our annual delivery targets and last year we started the most new affordable homes in London since GLA records began in 2002, as the recent cross-party report from the Assembly Housing Committee recognised.
That report also found that more affordable homes have been started in the first four years of this mayoral term than in either of the previous two. The renewed emphasis I put on council housing delivery has been particularly effective, with 2019/20 seeing the most new council home starts since 1983. As well as delivering more genuinely affordable housing, bringing councils back as a major player in housebuilding also helps diversify the sector, making it more resilient to the ups and downs of the market.
In delivering the current programme we have, however, faced a number of challenges not of our own making including Brexit, the urgent need for cladding remediation and most recently the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying work restrictions and economic upheaval. At the outset of the pandemic we acted quickly to convene a cross-sector Housing Delivery Taskforce to identify how to keep on track with our ambitions to build homes of all tenures. The Taskforce issued its report in July [2020] calling for a Government-funded recovery package to give affordable housing providers and private developers the support and confidence they need to keep building. The Government has given a year’s extension to the current Affordable Homes Programme to account for the impact of COVID-19 and my team has worked closely with providers to support their delivery work throughout this period. In particular, we have had some very positive discussions with councils about driving forward and even increasing their programmes over the next few years.
As a result of all this work, I believe we are in the strongest position we could be but hitting the targets will still be a real challenge given the circumstances. The outlook remains uncertain as COVID cases continue to rise and protecting public health must of course come first. We will keep on working hard to try to hit our targets, keeping the Assembly updated in the usual ways.

Susan Hall: OK. Thank you. You have been given a total of £4.82billion from the Government to start 116,000 affordable homes by - and you have said it - the extended deadline of March2023. Why has over £500million of this funding not yet been allocated?

Sadiq Khan: We have allocated the numbers of homes for the 116,000 and we are having discussions with housing associations and other developers in relation to challenges they have, but the allocations of the monies for the 116,000 have been done.

Susan Hall: What makes you think you could spend any further money from the Government if you have not even managed to spend all the money that you have?

Sadiq Khan: We have allocated the housing starts. You will be aware of the needs there are in London. We are working with developers and others to make sure we can meet the target that we have agreed with the Government. As I said in my answer, we have met every target so far during this programme.

Susan Hall: There are 116,000 Government-funded homes. You still have 57,000 to start by March2023. How many of these homes do you expect to start each year and will you start setting annual targets for each of these?

Sadiq Khan: The targets are agreed with the Government and so there are targets with the Government. On average we will be starting 19,000 homes during the course of the next couple of years because of the extension the Government has given us.
By the way, the Government also gave an extension to Homes England for homes outside London because it is an issue the entire country has. The targets are agreed with Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). What we have published is over and above what Homes England published in the agreement it has with MHCLG because we are trying to provide as much information as we can to colleagues.

Susan Hall: We were recently told in the Budget and Performance Committee by your Assistant Director of Housing that at least 10,000 homes could be started this year. Will you commit to this as a minimum?

Sadiq Khan: The reason why he gave you that figure was because of the negotiations we have. It is 19,000, we think, over the course of the next two years because of the Government extension. According to conversations we have had with housing providers and those who build the homes, we think we could start 10,300 in this financial year. That is the agreement we have with the providers.

Susan Hall: What would be the impact if you do not even deliver that number this year?

Sadiq Khan: They are starts, not houses completed. Often during the course of the
six-year deal with the Government there may be ebbs and flows. The key thing is the agreement with the Government is for 116,000 affordable homes to be started by March2023 and we have agreed with the Government yearly targets to get to 2023. So far we have exceeded all of those and we will continue to make sure that we do our best to exceed them again and break records in the course.

Susan Hall: It would be a lot clearer for us all to hold you to account if you agreed specific numbers to be started and completed per year so that we could hold you to account for what is and is not being delivered.

Sadiq Khan: That may be above your pay grade because it is what the Secretary of State for MHCLG agrees with us, but if you have concerns with this you can raise them with MHCLG.

Susan Hall: It is the transparency from you, MrMayor, that I am asking for. I will leave it at that, Chair. Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: You will be aware, AssemblyMemberHall, that we publish far more than Homes England publishes even though it has the same agreement with MHCLG. If there are any particular concerns the Member has with the agreement we have with MHCLG, she can of course take it up with MHCLG if she is not happy with the response I have given.

Susan Hall: I am very often not happy with the responses you give, MrMayor, but we have to put up with it, I am afraid.

Sadiq Khan: Such is life, I am afraid, Chair. I am always happy with the questions she asks.

Silvertown Tunnel

Caroline Pidgeon: What is the true cost of the Silvertown Tunnel?

Sadiq Khan: Investment in the Silvertown Tunnel will bring widespread benefits to London. By finally addressing the longstanding issues at the Blackwall Tunnel it will massively reduce congestion in the area, improve air quality and support economic growth in east London.
The construction cost of the project, anticipated to be around £1billion, has been regularly published since 2014 and has not significantly changed in that time.
The costs to Londoners of existing congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel are huge. TfL estimates more than one million hours are wasted each year in traffic queueing for the Blackwall Tunnel. The areas around the tunnel suffer from some of the worst air quality in London. The tunnel has had to close over 300 times this year alone, even with lockdown impacting traffic levels. This leads to traffic chaos, with miles of standing traffic emitting fumes across areas of South and East London. Doing nothing to address these problems is not an option.
TfL awarded a design-build-finance-maintain contract to the Riverlinks Consortium at the end of 2019. Only once the Tunnel has been built and is open will TfL begin to make repayments to Riverlinks. This means that TfL is not liable for additional payments or delays in the same way as more traditional construction contracts. Riverlinks will be responsible for maintenance and the renewal of the systems and equipment for over 25 years. TfL currently anticipates repayments will amount to around £65million in the first year but the actual amount will vary depending on inflation and the performance of Riverlinks. TfL anticipates that revenue received from user charging at the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels will cover these payments and generate a surplus that will be reinvested in the transport network. Riverlinks has no entitlement to this revenue or interest in the operation of the user charge being to manage traffic and environmental impacts.
Even as traffic has decreased dramatically on some roads in London during the COVID-19 pandemic, congestion has continued at the Blackwall Tunnel throughout and traffic levels through the Tunnel have already returned to pre-pandemic levels. This vital river crossing will reduce congestion, transform cross‑river public transport connections and improve some of the worst air quality anywhere in London.
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM: Thank you, MrMayor. Less than a year ago TfL issued a press release stating that the Silvertown Tunnel was a £1billion project and you have confirmed that today. Do you accept, including all the annual payments up to 2050, its real cost will actually be £2billion?

Sadiq Khan: No, because you are not comparing like with like. I know you like comparing like with like. If you look at other construction projects‑‑
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM: This is from a TfL Audit and Assurance Committee paper on 11September[2020], MrMayor, for reference. It is not a figure I have made up.

Sadiq Khan: Let us talk about like for like. When it comes to construction projects, you are including the cost of maintenance and including the cost of finance. When it comes, for example, to a comparable project, the cost of Bank Station capacity upgrade, we do not include in that construction cost the cost of the maintenance over the next 25 years or the costs of us borrowing the money to do so. You are in danger of not comparing apples with apples.
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM: OK. Let us move on to another cost I would like to look at today. The financial package for the road tunnel relies on income from tolls but the deal really relies on the tolls being buoyant. They can never be set at a level that would actively deter people from driving. Even long‑distance commuting by car cannot be effectively challenged as the tolls need to pay for this huge bill.
How do you square your support for the Silvertown Tunnel with your commitment to avoid a car‑led recovery from COVID?

Sadiq Khan: A number of reasons why. Firstly, you will be aware from the answer I gave we already have a car‑led recovery in the Tunnel. The number of people using Blackwall Tunnel has not gone down. The number of times it has been closed is not going down. The cost to health, in terms of air quality, and the cost to businesses, in terms of lost productivity from congestion, has been increasing.
One of the things we managed to secure in relation to the Silvertown Tunnel was a lane reserved for buses. You will be aware our buses now, thanks to the policies of this Mayor, are fully Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) compliant and we are getting more and more electric buses going forward. In that reserved lane we will have buses, starting off at 24 buses per hour. You will also be aware currently public transport in that part of London is very haphazard and unreliable because the buses cannot rely on the Tunnel, the single‑decker buses getting through the Tunnel, which means people do not use the bus and instead drive. We are also working on schemes to enable pedestrians to be able to cross from one side of the Tunnel to the other without paying a fare and also bicycles for cyclists to go from one side of the Tunnel to the other without having to pay additional cost. We have also undertaken an assessment of the impact of our policies on the new Silvertown Tunnel on the environment. Add to that the extension of ULEZ up to the North and South Circular, this will be within the ULEZ area. The independent evidence we have is that this will not make air quality worse and will not make congestion worse but will, in fact, improve both those things.
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM: I wanted to come on to the environmental cost. There are issues where you build roads and, quite honestly, I have never seen a road scheme that actually has led to a decrease in traffic.
On air monitoring, MrMayor, I am concerned that at present the new monitoring stations appear to only cover nitrogen dioxide but not harmful particulate matter (PM). I am wondering. Will you give a firm commitment today to guarantee extensive monitoring of all forms of harmful pollutants on both sides of the Tunnel - Greenwich, Deptford, New Cross, Tower Hamlets and throughout Newham - to assess the true impact of your Silvertown Tunnel?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, my air quality team is considering options for further PM 2.5 monitoring in support of the work already underway. You will be aware that the monitors at the moment do not do that and that is some work we are exploring.
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM: That is something you would potentially commit to, if it is possible? Yes, you are happy to commit to that if the equipment is available?

Sadiq Khan: I commit to the answer I just gave, which is that my air quality team is considering options for further PM 2.5 monitoring in support of the work already underway in relation to nitrogen dioxide.
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM: Thank you very much.

Face to face GP Appointments

Tony Devenish: Given your remit for addressing health inequalities, will you conduct a survey of London GPs and Londoners to ensure that in addition to utilising video appointments, Londoners can still meet face to face with GPs where appropriate?

Sadiq Khan: The NHS has responded magnificently to the COVID-19 pandemic. London’s GPs have developed a range of innovative solutions to provide advice and treatment with telephone and online consultations including video, expanding in a way few expected, offering alternative methods of access. During the pandemic, the quick shift to digital appointments has helped slow the spread of the virus by enabling people to seek care from home. This has also helped vulnerable people reduce their risk to exposure.
However, while digital appointments can improve access for many, they can also create a barrier to access for others. I therefore share the Assembly Member’s concern that some of the most vulnerable Londoners may be left behind. Everyone should be able to access their GP in a way that works for them, whether that is online, by phone or in person. It is crucial that the NHS considers the possible impacts of the digital model on health inequalities and particularly those who are most likely to face digital exclusion. We know this will largely be older people, but also many others, including people with both physical and learning disabilities and people who speak English as an additional language.
I understand the NHS will now be offering a mix of face-to-face, telephone and online GP appointments, and I am reassured to hear that if patients need to be seen face-to-face, they will be. The NHS must continue to offer face-to-face appointments. A new services model of care must be designed and planned carefully and with close engagement with the communities who will be most affected. I will continue to discuss the important issue with the NHS London Regional Director [Sir David Sloman] and I will ask my Health Advisor, DrTomCoffey [OBE], to take this issue up at his next GP roundtable.

Tony Devenish: In terms of conducting a survey of London GPs directly to see and to encourage them to do both face-to-face as well as video appointments, as my question says, will you conduct a survey of London GPs to ensure, in addition to utilising video appointments, that you do encourage face-to-face?

Sadiq Khan: As the NHS will continue to offer the mixed model, I am not sure what purpose a survey would serve. However, for the reasons you allude to in your question, I am more than happy for my Health Adviser to raise it at the GP roundtable. If there is a need to undertake a survey, we can do so, but I am slightly puzzled as to the point. If it is the case that the NHS is offering a mixed model for the reasons that we agree on, I am unsure what purpose a survey serves.

Tony Devenish: It is just one method, Mr Mayor, to try and use your office to publicise within London that this is very important. I think we would agree that during COVID-19, many people were too scared to use the NHS, which is not a good thing as we can all agree on. It is how we can use your office - and again, I often use the example of TfL hoardings on buses or the Tube - to encourage people to seek face-to-face medical treatment when necessary.

Sadiq Khan: We are in agreement and so I suggest that my Health Advisor speaks to the Assembly Member to discuss any ideas he has because we both want the same thing. We may well agree on the means as well and so, rather than give the impression that we do not agree, let me ask DrCoffey to speak with AssemblyMemberDevenish and see if we can do what is required.

Tony Devenish: I will leave it there.

Public-private space and the Public London Charter

Siân Berry: Why has there been such a delay on the new rules to govern public spaces which you promised me in November 2017?

Sadiq Khan: In November2017, I said that my new London Plan will include a policy to address the public realm and promote the highest level of access to public spaces. I also committed to developing a Public London Charter. Because the Public London Charter is linked to a policy in the Plan, we need to get the Plan in place to give the Charter statutory teeth. I published my draft London Plan in December2017 and it includes a policy on public access to public spaces.
Since then, the Plan has been through a lengthy statutory process towards final publication. Last October, I received the Planning Inspectorate’s report and recommendations. In December[2019], I submitted my intent to publish the London Plan to the Secretary of State [for Housing, Communities and Local Government,
The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP]. Ten months later he still has not approved it. It is unfortunate the Secretary of State is holding up the progress of the plan, despite having had it since Christmas last year. The Public London Charter cannot be finally adopted until my new London Plan is published.
While the Plan has been sitting with the Government, work on the Charter and on policy affecting London’s public realm more widely have been moving forward. This includes two research projects, one led by the Centre for London on how the public realm is managed and used and the other by the GLA’s Intelligence Unit exploring Londoner’s perspectives of the public realm. As well as this research, my team is running engagement workshops with a range of stakeholders to help develop the Charter, involving my design advocates, the London boroughs and organisations such as the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England - London, Just Space and the Open Spaces Society.
In March [2020], I published an informal draft of the Public London Charter for information. Despite the disruption caused to all our policy work by COVID-19 my team has been preparing the draft Charter for formal consultation, which will launch later this month. This consultation will involve further engagement with a range of stakeholders, including community and voluntary sector organisations, to ensure the Charter will be robust and useful to all Londoners. Through my Good Growth by Design initiative I have also developed a good practice design guide for London’s public realm and this will be published in the autumn.

Siân Berry: Thank you, MrMayor. I hope you will see my separate statement backing up your comments on the circuit breaker earlier.
Please forgive my frustration on this issue because the Assembly has been waiting for three years since we passed our motion. Two years ago, in response to question 2019/0272, you promised it would be policy alongside the London Plan and yet we still only have this draft document which is not policy. It is full of the word “should”. It is not a policy that can actually be enacted. I am very frustrated about this.
To cut a long story short, MrMayor, would you like me to draft a policy for you for consultation on this and cut out the middleman?

Sadiq Khan: No.

Siân Berry: I swear the Assembly Members here, who voted for that motion three years ago, could have written this policy for you based on existing research and experience from Londoners, got that through consultation and got it to the position of being published alongside the London Plan, which is what your answer to my 2019 Mayor’s Question says.

Sadiq Khan: Maybe where the Member can help me is in persuading the Secretary of State to finally allow the London Plan to do what it is supposed to do. It has been sitting on his desk now for eight months. If she wants to help, she can maybe exert influence on the Government.

Siân Berry: I am over my time. Thank you.

London’s Campaign to Boost Flu Vaccination Rates

Onkar Sahota: What discussions have you had with Council Leaders to improve flu vaccination rates in London which will reduce winter pressures on the NHS to better cope with COVID19?

Sadiq Khan: With the risk of COVID-19 and flu both circulating this winter, this year’s flu campaign is more important and larger than ever. Not only is it the best way to protect yourself and people around you but it will also help protect the NHS, which is already under huge pressure. I am doing all I can to promote the NHS’s winter flu campaign through London. I get a flu jab due to my asthma and I had this year’s vaccine two weeks ago. I urge all Londoners who are eligible to have the vaccination.
This year the NHS has extended the eligibility for a funded vaccine to a wider range of individuals to protect more vulnerable people and to support the resilience of the NHS. The NHS aims to deliver the vaccination to approximately 30million people, almost double last year’s target. I have been working with partners to make sure this message gets to the right people. I have discussed the issue as part of my regular meetings with Council Leaders and public health officials, and this also remains a live conversation for the SCG. I particularly want to make sure messages about the flu vaccine reach London’s black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities as well as our more deprived communities that have been so disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and are more likely to be at risk of flu due to underlying health conditions. I am supporting London’s boroughs to increase levels of flu vaccination also amongst children and young people through my Healthy Early Years and Healthy Schools programmes, as well as helping to ensure that preschool children are up to date with their routine immunisations.
Dr Onkar Sahota AM: Thank you, MrMayor, for that answer. The issue of transparency has been raised a number of times during this MQT. Of course, one of the things that is really missing in the debate is the minutes of the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) meeting on 24September[2020] that the Government has not published for some reason. I hope the Government will publish that information to ensure that all people who live in this country are aware that we follow the scientific advice rather than any other source of advice.
One of the things it did publish, of course, was the co‑relationship between flu vaccinations and COVID deaths. As you may know already, 43% of people who died had a co‑infection of influenza and of COVID rather than people who just had COVID. Only 27% died in that group so the infection is very important. What have we done across London and what has the NHS done particularly to ensure the rate of vaccination goes up in London? I know that you have been a good example but what has the London NHS done about this?

Sadiq Khan: Thank you for that. Can I underscore your point about the link between those who have respiratory conditions and the impact of COVID-19, particularly with flu as well? We are doing a huge amount, more so than ever before, DrSahota.
The other point to make is we are making sure the messaging is culturally competent so that it can reach London’s diverse communities. One of the lessons we learnt from the first wave was the disproportionate impact on BAME Londoners, particularly those with underlying health conditions who are susceptible to a bad case of flu as well. Therefore, we are hoping to reach double the number of Londoners we already do. NHS London has done a huge amount in relation to its workers, in relation to TfL, the MPS and others, particularly those with underlying health conditions. Many general practitioners (GPs) I know are running mass vaccination programmes because GPs often are the best route in to meet many Londoners.
If there are any other ideas you have, I know NHS London is in the ideas business but it does not pretend it has all the answers. It is really important we reach as many people as we can because that will mean, if they catch the COVID virus and they have been vaccinated against catching the flu and they do not get it, they have a better chance of coming through COVID-19.
Dr Onkar Sahota AM: The other thing, MrMayor - going back to the issue raised by my colleague, AssemblyMember JennetteArnold [OBE] - is the question about universities. As you know, universities are autonomous institutions and there is no legislation that has been implemented to control the virus nationally on university campuses.
We have 500,000 students in London. What can we do to make sure there is a co‑ordinated approach of controlling the virus in universities? Is there a case for you to pull the universities and further education colleges together to see if we can have a consistent policy right across London?

Sadiq Khan: I have been really impressed with how the higher education institutions are working together and with us during this pandemic. We have on the London Transition Board a piece of work where we work closely with the universities and it is really important that ProfessorKevinFenton [Regional Director, Public Health England] continues to have a good relationship with the universities.
[Baroness] DeborahBull [Vice President, Kings College London], who is on that relevant subgroup and on the Transition Board, leads on some of that work for us. To reassure you, we are working with the universities across London. We are aware of this being an issue.
I also should put on the record my thanks to the universities that have offered up their laboratories to increase capacity when it comes to testing with MedCity as well. That has been really helpful.
Dr Onkar Sahota AM: Finally, MrMayor, we are now at tier2 tomorrow. However, of course, the Government will have looked at some metrics to say why it has gone for this policy rather than a local lockdown, which was recommended by the SAGE meeting some weeks ago.
Are you privy to those discussions so that you can be preparing London for the right response or are you kept in the dark entirely on the reasoning behind the Government’s policies?

Sadiq Khan: I have to be honest. I saw the SAGE reports at the same time as you did when they were made public. I was shocked when I read them. They were three weeks old and it was quite clear what the SAGE advice was. The most effective way to slow down the spread of the virus is by a national circuit-breaker. It also talked about those policies that would have a marginal impact.
I am worried the Government is making the wrong call yet again and is being slow to respond. I continue to call on the Government to have a national short circuit-breaker. In the absence of that we in London are doing the prudent thing and going to alert level2 from tomorrow night and it is really important Londoners follow the rules.
Dr Onkar Sahota AM: I agree, MrMayor. We should all follow the advice of the Government, but I wish the Government was following the advice of SAGE rather than making its own mind up on this matter. Thank you very much.

Supporting leaseholders left ‘mortgage prisoners’ by EWS1forms

Murad Qureshi: EWS1 forms are causing misery to leaseholders seeking to move properties and failure to have them completed is leaving some mortgage prisoners, unable to re-mortgage or to move until their freeholder allows an EWS1 assessment. What are you doing to overcome this log-jam in the housing industry and to support leaseholders to move on with their lives?

Sadiq Khan: The External Wall Survey (EWS) 1 issues left these leaseholders stuck in limbo and many under immense financial pressure, unable to borrow, sell and move on with their lives. Of the nation’s high-rise buildings, 63% are in London, and more than half of the city’s housing stock is flats and maisonettes. Building safety problems affect Londoners disproportionately, but this is a national crisis that requires a national solution.
On 21 September [2020], I wrote on this specific issue to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP] and I am still waiting for a response. First and foremost, I am calling for a long-term funding solution to address the scale of remediation work required to protect leaseholders from costs. The Government’s £1billion Building Safety Fund provides enough money for only around 600 buildings and there have been nearly 3,000 registrations. The Government also needs a new system for tracking and enforcing safety checks and provide a clearer guidance on EWS1.
I have also urged the Government to commit to a training and accreditation programme for external wall safety assessments and to address the problems in the professional indemnity insurance market. I am proud to be a signatory of the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign led by affected leaseholders with input from the survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and Inside Housing. I will continue to pressure on the Government to resolve this crisis urgently so that leaseholders can get on with their lives.

Murad Qureshi: Thank you, Mr Mayor, for your response. When I became the Chair of the Housing Committee, I have had the most correspondence on this issue, the cladding scandal. It has stopped people moving, re-mortgaging and also added to their annual insurance bills, so thank you. Not just thousands, but tens of thousands of Londoners are affected.
On that basis, both Andrew Dismore [AM] and I did write to you about a few London-specific proposals, if I can focus on that. For example, we suggested that the London Housing Taskforce be set up because there are some specific things you can do as Mayor. The first of those is to look at housing association involvement. It strikes me that there is a high incidence of housing associations involved in many of these very difficult situations that leaseholders find themselves in. There are examples where shareholders who only have 25% of the home as ownership are being asked to pay 100% of the remediation costs. Those kinds of things are something you can look into and I hope you are keen to do that - undoubtedly the involvement of housing associations who are acting as freeholders here.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, to be fair, I saw the letter last week and will respond in due course. The Assembly Member has articulated some of the practical problems people are facing because of the complex nature of this. I will see if there are any London bespoke solutions to try to ameliorate the quality of life for Londoners in the absence of any national response.

Murad Qureshi: Thank you for that. There is another ask in a London context. There is great difficulty getting data on buildings that are under 18 metres that may have dangerous cladding. Is it possible for the LFB to collate data from their fire safety inspections to be made publicly available?

Sadiq Khan: I will have to look into that. I am not aware of what information the LFB have or who owns it. Each have their own data protection. I am more than happy to look into what the Assembly Member raises for the obvious reassurance reasons it servers. I am happy to write to him in relation to that.

Murad Qureshi: I have a final comment. It really does highlight the problems between freeholders and leaseholders and the need for commonhold, like we have in Scotland, and that is just a comment.

Air quality and the School Streets Scheme

Leonie Cooper: What benefits do you expect the air quality monitoring project, recently announced to measure the impact of School Streets, to deliver for Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: As part of our world leading Streetspace Programme over 400 more School Streets are being introduced to allow social distancing at the school gate, improve air quality, reduce road danger and incentivise walking, scootering and cycling. Last month I announced a new study that will capture the air-quality benefits of these new School Streets. Existing evidence already shows School Streets can reduce pollution, especially at pickup and drop-off times. One school that introduced their School Street as part of my school’s air quality audit programme, reported a 35% reduction in parents driving to school.
Earlier this month, I published new evidence showing the dramatic improvements in London’s air quality since I became Mayor. This includes a 97% reduction in the number of state primary and secondary schools located in areas exceeding legal limits for nitrogen dioxide, from 455 in 2016 to just 14 in 2019. There is much more work to do before Londoners can breathe clean air. Tens of thousands of Londoners still live in areas that exceed legal limits for nitrogen dioxide, and only 1% of London meets World Health Organization limits for particulate matter. I will continue to work to improve London’s air quality including by expanding the ULEZ up to the North and South Circular Roads in October 2021.
Léonie Cooper AM: Thank you very much for everything you have done since you were elected in 2016 to push forward with improvements to London’s air quality. You mentioned that over 400, in fact 430 schools have signed up for School Streets projects and they have invested in improving their local air quality with all the associated health benefits for children. It would be beneficial for all schools to be involved and I wonder if you have any idea of how many more schools are expected to sign up for the Emergency Schools Streets project.

Sadiq Khan: We are currently negotiating with the DfT for the second half of TfL funding. There is no money left in the monies we have. What we have done in the meantime also is to have a toolkit which can be used by schools and boroughs to bring about School Streets. It does not cost a lot of money and so I am hoping that boroughs will work with schools over and above the 431 to get more School Streets going.
Léonie Cooper AM: There are clearly some slightly cheaper options and that includes removable bollards rather than putting in number-plate recognition cameras and things like that. Do you have any information about the monitoring that has been going on to make sure that we are getting the schools that are in most need prioritised, because some schools are nearer to dirtier streets than others?

Sadiq Khan: You are absolutely right. What we cannot do is have those schools who have the keenest headteachers who have put in the bids but may not need these improvements, getting the resources and those schools that need it, not getting it. We are working closely with the boroughs who have been working with their schools, who need the changes to apply for the monies. We are monitoring a selection of schools to see the difference we make and we will be using those lessons to cascade to other schools. As you say, the ambition must be that all schools benefit, not just the 431.
Léonie Cooper AM: No, absolutely. I just wondered if you would like to say how important you think retaining the under-18 Zip Travelcard for 11-to-18-year-olds will be as we go forward with that negotiation with Government for funding for TfL. It is a great way of keeping pupils out of cars and helping to make London’s air cleaner and encouraging them to use public transport to get to school. Is that something you are able to prioritise in that negotiation?

Sadiq Khan: Absolutely. If you are a parent or carer with two, three or four children, you may choose to drive your children to school or schools rather than paying for public transport, which you will be required to do if the Government gets its way. You are also giving young people an experience of public transport, which you hope they take with them when they become adults as well.
All the evidence says that if you use public transport, you are taking part in active travel - walking to the station, walking to the bus stop - rather than jumping into a car outside your home. The other point, which is really important and you will be aware, is that it is the poorest Londoners who suffer the worst quality air, who use the free under-18 Travelcard and 60% of them are BAME Londoners. You are absolutely right. It is really important that we persuade the Government to do a U-turn and not take away free travel for under-18s in London.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much. I could not agree more. Let us cross our fingers and hope that the Government sees sense. Thank you, Chair. I am finished.

COVID-19 testing in education settings

Jennette Arnold: Will you write to the Secretary of State for Education to address the need for testing to keep schools and universities open in London?

Sadiq Khan: From the very start of this pandemic it has been absolutely clear that testing, contact tracing and self‑isolation are the most important ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Without testing we simply do not have a clear picture of who is carrying this awful disease.
With cases continuing to increase across the capital it is unbelievable that the Government has still not put in place adequate testing, something I have been pressing on it for some time. I know access to testing is causing real challenges for our schools, colleges, universities, students and parents and that it is currently keeping too many children and staff away from the classroom. Over a period of just six days, one school reported 82 lost teaching days as staff waited for tests and results and 360 lost learning days as children self‑isolated or parents decided to keep their children at home due to anxiety about the spread of the virus.
We are at a crucial moment with young people back at school and college and students having returned to university. That is why last month I wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care stressing how vital it is that some testing capacity is ring fenced specifically for nurseries, schools and colleges. I have yet to receive a response. The allocation to schools and colleges of 10 test kits per 1,000 students with a 21‑day wait to reorder is simply not good enough. The Government needs to act urgently so that test centres across London prioritise all education staff - including those working in early years, college and university - with results available within 24 hours.
My Deputy Mayor for Education and Childcare, AssemblyMember JoanneMcCartney, has been working with representatives from schools, universities and local and central Government to co‑ordinate London’s education response to the challenge of COVID-19. I understand how crucial it is that the capital’s schools, colleges and universities remain open. I will continue to press through whichever channels are necessary for a testing system that will allow them to do so.

Jennette Arnold: Thank you, MrMayor, for that full answer. Can I take you back to the statement you just made? Do you have any information about what impact London being in tier2 will now have on the education establishments?

Sadiq Khan: Tier 2, which is high alert level, will not directly affect education establishments. What it will have an impact on is the issue of households mixing when it comes to those in families either inside the home or outside the home. We are hoping there is no adverse effect on that.
One thing I spoke to the Secretary of State for Health [The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP] about yesterday and today was the issue of increased testing, which is really important and linked to your main question as well.

Jennette Arnold: The frustration is that we do not seem to be able to get any movement on such a common‑sense approach.
In tier2 we will have students, if you like, held in their faculties and in their universities. Who is going to be looking after their welfare? I know there is university provision but is there an overview? Is somebody planning to look at the impact this is going to have on our students, especially those in universities?

Sadiq Khan: You will be aware as a Londoner that we have hundreds of thousands of students from outside London at universities in London. The last figure I saw was 500,000. I am really worried about not just their physical health caused by COVID‑19 but their mental ill health caused by COVID-19 - the stress, the anxiety, the worry - and it is a real concern. They are away from their families, often for the first time, in unfamiliar surroundings with people they do not really know and they could be being told to stay in their halls of residence or their home and also told they cannot mix with others.
There is an issue also, AssemblyMemberArnold, with people returning ‘home’ from other parts of the country and potentially carrying this virus and they could be asymptomatic. That is why at the root of this is an effective testing system, then contact tracing and‑‑

Jennette Arnold: MrMayor, I will finish it by saying you will know and I know - but people forget - that 25% of London’s population is aged under 25 and they are so often overlooked. I know that you are as committed as I am and others are to ensuring their welfare. Please get somebody on this case and keep your foot on the pedal because somebody has to be speaking up for our young people. Otherwise, we are going to have a lost generation in London because of this virus. Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: Thank you.

Crime during lockdown

Shaun Bailey: What lessons have been learned from lockdown on tackling crime in London?

Sadiq Khan: Good morning. Throughout this pandemic the MPS has continued to work day and night to keep our city safe under extremely difficult circumstances. During the lockdown different patterns of crime emerged, which meant that the police used this time to target prolific offenders responsible for the most serious crimes. Our new Violence Suppression Units, which we established with over 600 officers working at a local level, seized over 450 offensive weapons across London including knives and firearms.
The lockdown also highlighted the need to do more to protect vulnerable people subjected to domestic abuse. That is why I created a new £1.5million emergency fund to provide victims of domestic abuse with safe accommodation and support to flee their homes. By the end of September we had helped over 300 individuals escape from abuse.
While crime and violence fell during lockdown, much of this was due to the restrictions placed on people’s lives. Unfortunately, as the MPS expected and predicted, crime has gone back to near pre-lockdown levels because the root causes of crime are not only very much still present but have been exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19. The reality is that deep-seated issues like poverty, inequality and lack of opportunities for young people, which have been made far worse by the Government’s austerity of the past decade, are continuing to drive crime and violence in our city.
That is why we will continue with our relentless approach in London, being tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. Our dedicated Violent Crime Taskforce is arresting violent offenders and taking weapons off the street. The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is tackling the underlying causes of crime in London and our Young Londoners Fund is providing young people with opportunities to get out of gangs and violence and into employment and training.
We also need the Government to step up and take responsibility. I have written to the Home Secretary
[The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP] warning that her failure to support our police as well as local and regional government to meet the financial challenges caused by COVID-19 will jeopardise our ability to tackle violent crime at this crucial moment. The Government announced a £60million surge fund last week for the police and councils, but this falls far short of the spiralling costs faced by both the MPS and local government as a result of the pandemic. The truth is, unless the Government takes urgent action, there will be more cuts to policing in London and across the UK at the worst possible time. Now is the time for investment in our police and preventative services, not more cuts.

Shaun Bailey: Thank you, MrMayor. Before I start, we should be clear about AssemblyMemberHall. What she said was that she was reading social media that said you had made an announcement on Sky, which you subsequently said you did not. That is important to say.
Thank you for your answer. During lockdown, the police used the time to redeploy some of its assets and clear some of the most dangerous criminals off London’s streets, which was a very good tactic. Which of these tactics were the most successful and are any of them going to remain permanent?

Sadiq Khan: A lot of the tactics used by the police because of the ‑‑ I do not want to say “free time” because that does a disservice to the policing they do. They had time to do the investigative work that they otherwise do not do because they are, metaphorically speaking, firefighting. A lot of work is not directly frontline police officers. It is forensics work and the conversations with the CPS that they cannot do on a day-to-day basis. The additional police officers we have invested in free up more police officers to do more of this sort of stuff.
The Violence Suppression Units we have found really effective. These are in hyper wards and localised areas. The police have used the time to calculate which parts of a ward or, a borough’s previous history tells us have large levels of crime. It could be robbery. It could be knife crime. Then the Violence Suppression Units are targeting those areas. It could be after school. Schoolchildren are often the victims of muggings. A lot of that is taking place. You will see if you go around London more high-visibility policing, particularly in those areas at those times where there can be high crimes.
One of the points I should say is you will have noticed robbery went down in some parts of London during lockdown for obvious reasons. People were not around. Westminster saw a big reduction and continues to do so in robbery because there are fewer tourists, domestic and international. Again, it provides opportunities for other sorts of policing work. You will be seeing across London different patterns emerging. Boroughs may have more antisocial behaviour as more people are breaching the rules around lockdown. There are different patterns across London. You are right. They have used the time quite sensibly to be proactive around this area.

Shaun Bailey: As you say, crime is rising. It is coming back to pre-COVID levels. This morning I spoke to a group of Somali mothers who were very concerned about knife crime in particular and the steep rise we have seen since lockdown as measures were eased. Is there anything in particular that you can do to help fight that particular type of crime?

Sadiq Khan: There are a lot of things we are doing particularly towards that: the work we are doing with the Young Londoners Fund, giving young people constructive things to do, the work we are doing with the VRU, treating crime, particularly knife crime, as a public health issue. We had a very good meeting yesterday with the Partnership Reference Group including a presentation from an excellent group that has done work around therapeutic interventions around young people, families and those who work in the area.
We are also, you will be interested to know, speaking to colleagues around the country and around the world. Around the world during lockdown there was a reduction but also around the world, I am afraid, there was an increase - a spike, if you like - after lockdown was lifted and so we are speaking to them as well. You will be particularly keen to report back to colleagues you spoke to about the work around county lines, the rescue and respond work. We have done really good work, not just the National Crime Agency (NCA) but the MPS, speaking to police forces around the country, particularly around young people who are vulnerable. The rescue and response team had £3million pounds originally from City Hall and an additional fund from me of £800,000 for working with individuals involved in gangs, young men and boys and young girls as well who get involved in county lines. I am really happy to offline let you know of some of the work we are doing there, which is really encouraging.

Shaun Bailey: Thank you. To take a slightly different tack here, we have seen a 29% increase in the number of TfL staff taking days off and citing mental health as a problem. I do not know if you have seen there have been a lot more attacks on TfL staff as well in this COVID period and it is having some effect on their mental health.
I am wondering. Would you join me in calls for a mental health covenant for TfL staff in much the same way we have one for the police and for the armed forces?

Sadiq Khan: The best thing you can do if you really care about TfL staff is not criticise the work that their trade unions do, making the very points that you claim to be making over the last few days. One of the reasons why people join a trade union is because a trade union can represent the concerns they have. What the trade unions do if they have access to the Mayor, as this Mayor does unlike the previous Mayor, is to listen to the concerns they raise on behalf of their members.
It is because this Mayor engages with very good trade unions that represent their workers that we are having a rollout of body-worn videos to our workers on TfL to make sure they can capture any example of abuse of a member of staff. Also, that evidence can be used in a prosecution undertaken by not just the MPS but the British Transport Police as well with the help of TfL.
Another really good thing we can do because we engage with trade unions is understand the concerns TfL staff have. That involves issues around bus driver fatigue. We also listen to their concerns around COVID. Some of the measures we brought in in London were because we engaged with the trade unions around, for example, stopping the front-door entry of our buses - really important because we lost 29 bus drivers during this awful virus in phase one - and also the improvements we have seen around the enhanced cleaning regime across TfL.
Another big thing we are doing because we work with the trade unions is working with staff around mental ill health. The previous Commissioner [of TfL, Sir Mike Brown CBE MVO] - and I am sure the new Commissioner [Andy Byford] will do so as well - is trained in first aid mental health, as indeed I am. Also, we have made sure we have mental first aid trainers and assistants to make sure that any staff who suffers mental ill health has assistance.
One of the reasons why I talked about my own mental ill health, although I have been criticised for doing so by some Members of this Assembly, is to give people confidence to talk about mental ill health and to avoid the stigma. It is really important we do that.

Shaun Bailey: I am sure the work of the trade unions is very good around this. It is their job to do so, but I am asking whether you will do something about it. Will you make it something that TfL has a covenant around to increase TfL’s awareness of these things and to make sure things happen? The work of the trade unions is a separate situation and that is great, but what are you going to do? Will you do it, yes or no?

Sadiq Khan: I am sure the Chair would rule you out of order if you were asking a question that goes beyond the remit of a question on crime, but as far as the mental ill health of our TfL staff is concerned, it is quite clear to me that we need to continue to engage with trade unions. We need to continue to give those who work for the trade unions time to engage with us. I will continue to make sure I address any concerns raised by staff either through the trade unions or directly to me.
The other thing we do really well is our regular surveys of staff. In fact, last year we had a better response from our staff than in previous years. They raised the issue of concerns around the pressure they have.
One of the reasons I am so grateful to them is the TfL staff working with me have managed to reduce the operating deficit of TfL by 86%. They have managed to work with me to reduce office accommodation. They have managed to work with me to reduce back-office and middle-office staff as well. It is really important to also put on record my thanks to them because we have reduced strikes by more than 74% since I became Mayor.

Shaun Bailey: This question is not about strikes. It is about the mental wellbeing of your staff at TfL, but that is enough for me, Chair. Thank you.

Barkingside South LTN

Keith Prince: What support did TfL provide to Redbridge Council in introducing the Barkingside South LTN?

Sadiq Khan: The London Borough of Redbridge successfully bid for Streetspace funding in June [2020] to deliver a number of LTNs including Barkingside South and School Streets. This funding formed part of a package announced by the Secretary of State for Transport
[The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP] in May as an emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The only money made available by the DfT for TfL to share with local authorities was for the express purpose of supporting measures to enable more walking and cycling, including LTNs, to ease pressure on public transport and prevent a spike in car use. The allocation of more funding was jointly agreed by TfL, City Hall, the DfT and Number10.
While the borough is ultimately responsible for the design and implementation of the scheme as well as engagement, TfL has provided a range of support throughout the planning implementation. TfL has developed guidance informed by the DfT and local authorities to plan, design and implement effective walking and cycling schemes. This is available on the TfL website. TfL provided specific technical support to Redbridge Council during the development of the Barkingside South scheme, including guidance on traffic implications for surrounding roads, impact on bus services in the area and mapping the scheme onto emergency services navigation schemes. Following the scheme’s introduction TfL is monitoring bus journey times and traffic data and is adjusting traffic signal times.
I am aware there are local concerns about this scheme and it is right that the borough continues to engage with the local community to make sure any issues that have become apparent are considered and dealt with appropriately. However, we must not lose sight of what is hoped to be achieved by introducing these types of schemes. By providing alternatives to car use for those who can walk or cycle, the Streetspace programme seeks to prevent a damaging and unsustainable car‑based recovery, which would increase congestion and road danger and negatively impact air quality and public health.

Keith Prince: Can I start, MrMayor, by thanking you for the reintroduction of motorcycle training? As you are aware, there has been an increase in motorcycle deaths over the last figures. I was wondering whether you would be able to help me and agree that I could organise a roundtable with the Deputy Mayor for Transport to discuss this issue around motorcycle deaths, bringing in experts like Motorcycle Action Group and so on, so that we can see what we can do about that.

Sadiq Khan: AssemblyMemberPrince has been a really good champion for motorcycle safety and some of the issues that have been brought to my attention. I am more than happy - because he is always very collegiate and always has good ideas - to arrange for a meeting, a roundtable as he has suggested, with Deputy Mayor for Transport HeidiAlexander.

Keith Prince: Thank you, MrMayor. Moving on to Barkingside South, thanks for the very full response. You probably are aware, MrMayor, there has been a 4,000-person petition. You will not be aware hundreds of people have contacted me. There is the Twitter campaign #barkingsidechaos.
I am wondering, MrMayor, what you could do to help the people of Redbridge who are clearly opposed to this scheme. What could you do to help the people in Redbridge, MrMayor?

Sadiq Khan: What I would say, Chair, respectfully, is the Council is engaging and listening, as they are across London Councils where they have LTNs. He mentions those people who have signed a petition. A council will also take the views of those who have not signed a petition but who may have views and who could be argued are in the silent majority.
The key thing I would say to the AssemblyMember - and I know he has done a good job in engaging with the Council and with residents - is to continue to do so. One of the things the Government required councils to do was to have these schemes up and ready to go very swiftly. That has led to some challenges across the city, Redbridge is not alone in this. He needs to continue doing what he is doing, which is to work with residents, work with the Council, work with businesses and work with emergency services to get the best possible scheme in that part of London.

Keith Prince: Thank you, MrMayor. Do you think it is right that there was little or no consultation with the blue light services, which has resulted in a number of delays in them attending emergency callouts and there does seem to be a need for urgent change to some of the schemes just to allow access for emergency services?

Sadiq Khan: It is worth reminding all of us that the schemes across London arose from an Emergency Traffic Order that the Government introduced for good reasons. The Government was keen to avoid a car‑led recovery but also deal with the pandemic and to allow social distance to be kept and the rest of it. My understanding is that the councils have been speaking regularly with the blue-light services and they will continue to do so. Any changes that need to be made because of concerns raised by blue-light services are made by councils across London, I have seen for myself them doing so, and indeed by TfL on some of its schemes.
However, if he is aware of any particular issues in Redbridge that are causing the emergency services problems, please, if he has not had any success with the Council or anybody else, let us know and we can make sure we raise any concerns from the emergency services with the Council and make any changes that are required to be made.

Keith Prince: Thank you very much, MrMayor. That is really helpful, thank you.

Navin Shah: I have two follow‑up questions, MrMayor. One is from AssemblyMember Devenish and the other is from AssemblyMemberBailey, in that order.

Brexit Negotiations and Impact in London

Len Duvall: Covid-19 is a public health emergency on a scale not seen in living memory. Today is the deadline arbitrarily set by the Prime Minister for Britain to reach a Brexit deal with the EU. Do you agree the Government should secure a good Brexit Deal or agree to a 12-month extension to the transition period, as you have urged the Prime Minister, so that we can focus all of our attention on tackling the virus?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, I absolutely agree. The European Union (EU) Council meeting finishes tomorrow. If no trade deal is agreed by the end of this crunch I understand there will be real challenges for us going forward. I urge the Government to put the British people first and to seek immediate extension to the transition period until we have managed to turn the tables on COVID-19.
The pandemic has already triggered the most far‑reaching public health and economic emergency since the Second World War with more emotional heartache, economic suffering and job losses expected in the months ahead. It would be the worst possible moment and deeply irresponsible for the Government to choose to inflict a further economic shock on our country by leaving the EU with no trade deal in place. Independent research shows that in London alone this would mean 87,000 fewer jobs by 2030, which is on top of the catastrophic impact of the pandemic on jobs and income. The looming failure to agree a deal for our services sector is especially worrying. You will be aware London’s world-leading finance, professional services, tech and creative industries account for over two‑fifths of UK exports in services.
Rather than wasting precious time and resources preparing for a Brexit cliff-edge, the overriding priority for everyone in Government must be to get this deadly virus under control and protecting jobs and livelihoods. This is not about whether people supported remaining in the EU or leaving. That debate is over. Brexit is happening. This is about doing the right thing for our country at a moment of acute national crisis.

Len Duvall: It is just another promise broken by the Prime Minister for the ‘oven-ready’ deal. In terms of the money that has been spent on the issue, the Institute of Government, which we have used as a think tank and which is highly respected by all political wings, has calculated that £4.4billion was spent by early 2020 on Brexit preparations. It expects by 2021 that we will have spent a further £3.7billion on these issues.
Now, even if we get a deal in the coming weeks, the preparation issues of alerting business to the rules and all the agencies that need to be involved - you, local government throughout the country, points of entry and everything else - that we are working within, do you feel that in light of what has happened with Roche and the fragility of its supply chain to the NHS we are going to see further a piece of that? Can you build that into your COVID-19 preparations around that fragility? We do not just have the normal issues of dealing with a pandemic. We are going to have the added issues of Brexit. It will not always be like it but it is coming at the wrong time for this country. It is coming at the wrong time.

Sadiq Khan: As ever, an astute observation. To reassure you, the SCG has also been tasked with some of the Brexit preparation stuff. You are absolutely right that it is linked. There is a link. You gave a really good example with the availability of testing and medicines in relation to what happens there.
It is also, frankly, offensive when you talk about those Londoners who are struggling to make ends meet with what the future holds, the lack of support from the Chancellor [The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP], and then to be told all this money is being wasted on preparations as the Institute of Government and others have said. You are absolutely right in relation to this.
There is another point you failed to mention - the impact on businesses and the mountain of red tape that is going to be created with a basic trade deal, let alone with no trade deal, in relation to regulatory rules they have to follow, in relation to rules on imports, rules on exports and how you attract talent. The Conservative Party used to be a party of business. I cannot think of anything more anti‑business than a red‑tape mountain or having no decent trade deal with our biggest trading partner.

Len Duvall: Thank you, MrMayor. Thank you.

European Security Cooperation

Unmesh Desai: What indication have you and the Commissioner received from government that progress has been made towards securing an agreement that will allow the Met the same levels of cooperation with other European states that is currently enjoys, after the 31st December?

Sadiq Khan: I have recently written to the Home Secretary [The Rt Hon Priti Patel MP] to once again outline my concerns about the loss of security co-operation. I was disappointed by her response, which indicated that the Government was satisfied for the UK to fall back on outdated and inefficient procedures. The policing and security benefits of working within the EU have been significant, undoubtedly making cross-border cooperation much more efficient for the MPS and making Londoners safer as a result.
My fear is that we are in danger of sleepwalking into a scenario where our nation is faced with a combined impact of a global pandemic and an unnecessarily damaging separation from the EU. National policing experts have warned that losing access to the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) and to Europol, to name just two examples, will make it harder to keep track of terrorists and serious organised criminal networks.
I know that the MPS has been working collaboratively to prepare for the effects of Brexit on law enforcement. I have repeatedly made it clear to the Government that any loss of access to the existing tools will unnecessarily risk the safety and security of our citizens by removing access to vital intelligence and our ability to bring offenders to justice.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, Mr Mayor. Sleepwalking, indeed. You got it right there. Let us look at the EAW. Acting against the warnings of senior law enforcement officers, the Government has said it would not be seeking to participate in this particular scheme as part of a future relationship with the EU. Under an EAW, the average time for extradition of a criminal wanted in Europe is just 48 days. Whereas in the European Convention on Extradition, which is the precedent that we will fall back on in December [2020], it can take up to a year and in some cases much longer. The loss of this and other tools will irrefutably impact on the safety of Londoners and on the ability of the MPS to bring perpetrators to justice.
How important is it, MrMayor, that we seek cross-party cooperation in lobbying the Government to secure continued use of these tools as a matter of priority?

Sadiq Khan: It is crucial. If you are a criminal, you will be looking forward to next year when there is no EAW if you want to flee to Europe. You have given a really good example of the compare and contrast. It takes 48 days on average to bring somebody back under the EAW versus more than a year under an alternative scheme. It will be slower, it will be clunkier, it will be more expensive and it will cause huge distress to the victims of crime.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, Mr Mayor. I did note your answers to Assembly Member Kurten, but as it is such an important area, can you remind this Assembly that in the event of no deal, what it would mean for Londoners in plain terms, if we do not get an agreement before the end of the year?

Sadiq Khan: The best I can do is to quote the words of the police officer in charge of our counter-terrorism, I quote, “It would create an immediate risk that people could come to this country who were serious offenders … and we would not know about it.” This is the most senior counter-terrorism officer in the country.
What I would say to those who for ideological reasons are obsessed with leaving the EU without a deal or with a poor deal is make sure then that, God forbid, if that happens, you own some of the consequences of a
no-deal Brexit or a bad-deal Brexit.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor.

Food Insecurity during COVID-19 Second Wave

Joanne McCartney: Is enough being done to prevent Londoners from becoming ‘food insecure’ during this second wave of COVID-19 which will coincide with increasing unemployment and job insecurity?

Sadiq Khan: London’s already high levels of food insecurity have risen during the pandemic and I am very concerned about further spikes in the coming months. That is why I have been working with central and local government and voluntary and community sector partners to do three things: monitor demand for food aid across London, ensure all local authorities have a food transition plan in place, and help central Government partners to understand and unlock the resources local authorities and voluntary and community sector partners need to support Londoners in the months ahead.
I am particularly concerned that a number of Government funding streams are coming to a close just as food insecurity may be about to rise again. Local authorities’ initial response to COVID-19 was based on the assumption that the costs incurred, for some boroughs running up to £80,000 per week on food alone, would be reimbursed, but this has not happened. We cannot assume local authorities will be able to respond in the same way without that guarantee.
I will continue to work with the London Transition Board and the Strategic Coordination Group (SCG) to ensure the focus on this issue is not lost. The Government must also, Chair, now reimburse local authorities fully for the cost they have incurred to date and make funding available to support them and their voluntary and community sector partners to meet the food needs of vulnerable Londoners in the months ahead.
It should also be clear that food insecurity is a manifestation of poverty and the tools to tackle this lay with the Government. More needs to be done to ensure all Londoners who need it can not only access the food they need in the months ahead but are supported to escape financial hardship.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you, MrMayor. As you rightly say, food insecurity and poverty were rising before the pandemic hit and what this pandemic has done is highlighted the precarious nature of many Londoners’ finances.
This week is London Challenge Poverty Week and today the focus is on children. You and I have campaigned for the extension of free school meal entitlements to cover school holidays, as have child poverty groups and individual food and insecurity and poverty campaigners such as MarcusRashford [MBE, professional footballer], but I am quite tired of having to do that every time a holiday is coming up.
Do you agree with me that with the October half term coming up the Government should say it is going to allow those entitlements to be extended over all holidays while the pandemic is taking place? The Welsh Government announced yesterday that it will do that up until next Easter.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, can I, as the Mayor of this great city, pay tribute to MarcusRashford, a Manchester United player. It pains me to say so as a Liverpool fan, but he has been brilliant in relation to his campaigning. It was his campaigning that led to the U-turn from the Government in relation to free school meals for children during the summer holidays.
I am really concerned because this October half term for some children will be two weeks rather than one. That means that if you receive free school meals in normal school term time, for two weeks potentially you may go without a decent, hot, nourishing meal. It is really important that the Government therefore provides the support needed for those families to receive free school meals for their children during the half term.
Also, let us not wait until December to start discussing the Christmas holidays and let us not wait for MarcusRashford to have a campaign. We need to lobby the Government. Look, half term is next week. Many families are thinking about what they are going to do in the half term. It should do what the Welsh Government has done and say that during the half term this entitlement that these children, some of the most vulnerable, have will continue during that half term.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you for that and thank you for the promise to lobby the Government on this issue. I would be also grateful if you could lobby it to perhaps extend free school meal provision to cover all those families perhaps that are in receipt of Universal Credit or other equivalent benefits. As you said earlier and as your letter to the Government clearly states today, those particular families are in a financially precarious situation.
You mentioned also the fact that the Government has not funded local authorities for the work they did during the first wave of COVID. With a second wave now happening, what does the Government need to do to support not only local authorities but also the wonderful community and voluntary sector, which really stepped up over the last few months and has really delivered food in particular and support to the most vulnerable people in our communities?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, it is a really important point you raised and I also echo your comments about the voluntary and community sector, which does an amazing job in this area.
Look, the point I make to the Government is that our councils in London are suffering a massive funding gap between the money they have spent in extra costs and the lost income. It is about £1.4billion gap for our councils. Similarly, many in our voluntary and community sector have not been able to do the fundraising they do because of COVID-19. The marathon runs, the sponsorship there, the autumn fairs, the summer sales and the various events they do they have not been able to do. They are already struggling with the monies they normally have. That is why it is really important the Government steps in to support councils and community and voluntary groups.
Also, I would say to those supermarkets and food providers who are doing very well that they should think about whether they can also contribute towards foodbanks. Many foodbanks, as you know, rely upon the contributions of surplus shopping by ordinary people. Many families are struggling to even feed their own families without doing these additional surplus shops to give to foodbanks. We have a perfect storm here where there is the greatest demand for foodbanks and help but foodbanks and others have a real shortage of supplies. That is why it is so important the Government steps in to support these vulnerable families.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you and thank you for your lobbying efforts. It is appreciated.

Training and Support Needed to Prevent Mass Unemployment

Navin Shah: Official figures show that the UK’s unemployment rate has risen to its highest level for two years and the GLA’s own figures confirm a looming employment crisis. What can you do from City Hall to provide training and support for unemployed Londoners and what action are you lobbying for central government to take?

Sadiq Khan: London is facing an unemployment crisis but one that could be averted by Government action. I have written to the Chancellor to urge him to extend the furlough scheme for particular sectors as his new job protection scheme will fail to prevent mass redundancy in otherwise viable businesses. I have also provided the Government with a list of shovel-ready projects and investment opportunities that could kickstart growth and create jobs in London.
At City Hall we acted quickly to ensure unemployed Londoners affected by the pandemic are benefiting from the devolved adult education budget. After taking immediate steps to ensure the financial security of adult education providers in May [2020], I launched the £11million COVID-19 Response Fund to help meet the training needs of key groups affected by the pandemic including those made redundant as a result of
COVID-19. From this academic year, we have also introduced new flexibility to fund more pre-employment and job-focused training. In August, well ahead of the Government’s lifetime skills announcement, I extended fully funded level-3 qualifications to all unemployed Londoners to help them retrain and find new employment opportunities. My Construction Academy and Digital Talent programme, the London Enterprise Adviser Network and the Workforce Integration Network are also helping Londoners most need to access opportunities and career support. The Employment Rights Hub is helping Londoners to understand their rights at work.
I should say this, Deputy Chairman. Unemployment and supporting Londoners into good work is also a key priority for the London Recovery Board. The Board is currently developing action plans including how we can expand access to schools training and good employment opportunities.

Navin Shah: Thank you, MrMayor. Young people are particularly hard hit during these very difficult times, with those aged 16 to 24 suffering the biggest drop in employment compared with other age groups. One of the eight missions promoted by you, MrMayor, and the Recovery Board is the New Deal for Young People.
How will you make sure you help employ young people in the industries London needs to build a better London and get back better such as green jobs, digital jobs, jobs in creative industries and jobs in local high streets?

Sadiq Khan: That is a really important point you raise. Firstly, I should say we are still lobbying the Government to get devolution for 16-to-18-year-olds. We do not have that yet. We have 19 and above.
With the adult education monies we have, we are prioritising the areas you have talked about, not just those who need reskilling and who may have lost their jobs - it is really important we get them back into work as possible - but also futureproofed jobs when the new normal begins.
There are a number of things we are doing, Deputy Chairman. The Mayor’s Construction Academy is doing lots of work in relation to supporting these young Londoners. We are making sure that they receive the right careers advice. The London Enterprise Adviser Network has businesses who go in to give the right advice to young people. One of the worst things we can do is send people in the wrong direction to jobs that are not futureproof or helpful.
The final part of the equation is to make sure that we support businesses to be able to access the skilled young people, whether they are apprentices or working with adult colleges to make sure there is a connection between the jobs that employers are creating and the skills they need and the young people having the skills to do the jobs created by these employers in London.

Navin Shah: Thank you. The rise in unemployment is not only impacting young people, as we discussed. In fact, between May and July [2020] over-65s experienced the largest increase in economic inactivity across UK. Some of these people may be choosing to retire but others may be forced out of jobs as well.
How are you ensuring that you also provide targeted support to older Londoners looking for employment?

Sadiq Khan: You are right. The analysis shows that those who suffered the worst in the job market are younger Londoners and those above 50. It is really important we help older Londoners as well. We cannot just focus on young Londoners, important though they are.
There are a number of things we are doing. We still have the European Social Fund and something called the Sector Skills Programme and we are investing £6million of that money to give unemployed Londoners skills to progress in those industries that are doing well and where there is a demand. We have also introduced adult education budget flexibility to allow unemployed learners who have achieved their first level3 qualification to go further as well.
The other thing you will be aware of, Deputy Chairman, from a previous MQT is that we are giving a free adult education to those who receive the Minimum Wage to get the skills to get the Living Wage and more as well.
You are right to remind me that we have to focus on older Londoners as well, particularly those above 50 and those above 65. You will be aware that the damage to retail has meant that many older Londoners have lost their jobs. We are keen to make sure we get them skilled up for any jobs that are available in other sectors.

Navin Shah: Thank you, MrMayor. That is the end of my questions. Thank you.